This statue of Washington in the Smithsonian Museum of American
History was modeled after descriptions of the statue
of Zeus at Olympia., one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
This museum is aligned to the cardinal directions. The statue is at the
western end of the main floor. Like the statue of Washington in the masonic
memorial, this statue faces east.

Apollo was the favorite son of Zeus. Apollo was also known as
the God of Light, Helios, the Lawgiver and the God of Prophesy. The panel
below is on the left side on the statue above (Zeus/Washington's right side).
Helios/Apollo is driving his chariot across the sky, carrying the sun on it's
daily circuit. The Colossus of Rhodes, another one of the seven wonders of
the ancient world, was styled after Apollo. In ancient Rhodes a chariot and
four horses were driven into the water each year in tribute to Helios/Apollo.

Hercules was another son of Zeus. Hera was a sister and wife
of Zeus. When Hera learned that Zeus had fathered Hercules by a mortal woman,
she became so enraged that she put snakes in his crib, but baby Hercules strangled
the snakes with his bare hands. In the panel below (on the northern side of
the statue of Zeus/Washington), Hercules is shown with a star over his head,
sharing the crib with his twin brother Iphicles. In the northern constellation
of Hercules, the star Alpha Hercules is a double star. The two stars of Alpha
Hercules are very close to each other, orbiting around a shared center of
gravity.